SWAMPSCOTT — High School Principal Emily Zotto spoke at the School Committee’s recent meeting to deliver updates on new programs and activities as part of her initiative for excellence, opportunity, and community.
“I really want to focus on the culture of belonging and creating opportunities for increased family engagement and partnership,” she said.
Zotto explained that she wanted to highlight the expanded club opportunities for students. She emphasized the importance of celebrating school spirit through community gathering events like the previous Open House event in November, Curriculum Night, and Battle of the Bands.
She also noted that the school is honing in on increased communication — not just among parents and families — but also partnering with local news publications, and trying to find more opportunities to spread the word about the latest events and developments with the community.
Zotto highlighted the Bridging Generations and Opening Minds Through Art programs, which pair students with seniors living with dementia to connect and create artwork together at the Senior Center. She noted the school is also collaborating with S.U.R.E. (Swampscott Unites, Respects, and Embraces) Diversity.
“Part of that community focus is about school spirit. There is so much pride and joy in the school and at all the events the kids are at, whether it’s sports, music, the fall play, the Powder Puff, we started the Battle of the Bands this year during Thanksgiving week, and that a huge success as a new annual tradition,” Zotto said. “We’re just having so much fun being with the students, and I think it’s beginning to show.”
She continued, talking about the importance of the recent open house, which she said the ultimate goal behind was recruitment and enrollment of new students.
Zotto said her vision for it was to have “an event experience,” which aimed to have the faculty come up with topics they’d like to discuss with community members, rather than simply shuffling parents through designated areas. There were also a number of activities for people to choose from.
Other elements included an in-depth look at the school’s TV studio and a performance from the school chorus, in order to give potential students and their families an immersive experience.
“It was designed to show off all the opportunities we have available to us here, and what the kids are doing in school, and having the students participate (and) showing the work they’re doing. … It made it extra fun that it wasn’t just about students coming in and us adults showing, it was the students doing the showcasing, which made it exceptionally fun,” Zotto said.
Committee member Suzanne Wright said, “This committee has been saying for so long that we need to show off, to tell people what we’re doing. I think the combination of Emily Zotto coming in with her fresh energy, and Superintendent Jason Calichman getting a district that has already gone through tumultuous stuff, having a new energy. … It’s so awesome to see.”
Vice-Chair Glenn Paster echoed that statement, saying, “You can feel the energy, you can feel the difference.”
Committee member Miguel Contreras said, “We’re engaging with the community, we’re getting our students out into the public more, and also engaging with the community on various different levels. … It’s great to see it, but also, you can see it in the student body, when the kids are out in the community, and wanting to engage,”
Committee member John Giantis said he can see a difference in Zotto’s energy and approach to the initiatives than in previous administrations.
“I think all of those are positive, and a lot of things you highlighted speak to that,” Giantis said. “I’m anxious to hear more details going forward, but this was great to hear.”
Out of the years Student Representative Sasha Shadari has attended the high school, she noted that this year feels different.
“I felt more uplifted to be here. Especially with the open house, I do Big Blue News; so with the recording studio, I was receiving good feedback from both students and parents that said things like, ‘My child is interested in film, we’re definitely staying here,’” Shadari said. “Other than that, I have felt so much more positivity in the hallways, students want to contribute more to the community. … Many people are engaging with us, and I think that’s amazing.”
